Monday, June 21, 2004
Why not call it 9/11 84?
Today I heard that author Ray Bradbury, author of The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, expressed disappointment at Michael Moore because Mr. Moore called his documentary on Planeattack Fahrenheit 9/11. Mr. Bradbury wants Mr. Moore to apologize and to rename the movie, and to "give me back my book and movie."
I don't see why Ray Bradbury should object. Yes, he has the right to object to the title and to tell him to rename it. However, the movie Fahrenheit 9/11 has the same theme as Fahrenheit 451, so that the Moore movie is something like a continuation of the Bradbury movie. I understand that a new movie of Fahrenheit 451 is coming out soon. In my opinion, sales of the book and the movie by Bradbury will be increased sharply because of the media attention to Fahrenheit 9/11. The two Fahrenheits coming to theaters could be a one-two punch to the Bush administration that could lead to Kerry's victory in November.
Another objection to Moore's title is the "9/11". This makes a negative symbol out of a date, and so would be objectionable to anyone associated with the date, September 11, especially those who have that date as their birthday. That is why I now choose to call those horrible attacks in 2001 Planeattack instead of 9/11 or September 11. However, in a movie title like this, I think it works out fine. Movies are an art form, and so patterns are more important than fact or actual representation. So I don't object either to the "Fahrenheit" or the "9/11" parts of the title.
However, Mr. Bradbury wants a new title. If push comes to shove, I have a new title. 9/11 84. I sent this email to Michael Moore's news team today. I hope they go with the original title, but if he can't, I hope he considers 9/11 84. Here is my letter:
Dear Michael Moore and friends on the news staff,
I heard today that Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451", from which your film "Fahrenheit 9/11" gets its name, wants you to apologize for using an adaptation of the name of his book and for you to rename the movie to something else. I am not sure why he is doing this, because the themes of both are similar: a government that suppresses freedom of some sort, be it books or otherwise. It seems to me that the attention that "Fahrenheit 9/11" gets will boost sales of "Fahrenheit 451"; at least, it brings attention to "Fahrenheit 451".
Nevertheless, if you have to change the name, here is my suggestion: "9/11 84", or perhaps "9/11/84". This relates the movie to George Orwell's book, with its doubletalk, lying as truth (as in "Freedom is Slavery"), and the omnipresence of Big Brother. It is also in the same tone, sounds sort of like "1984" (nineteen eighty-four vs nine eleven eighty-four), and is catchy and short. And a request to rename it might be much less likely, since George Orwell died in 1949.
Jim
I don't see why Ray Bradbury should object. Yes, he has the right to object to the title and to tell him to rename it. However, the movie Fahrenheit 9/11 has the same theme as Fahrenheit 451, so that the Moore movie is something like a continuation of the Bradbury movie. I understand that a new movie of Fahrenheit 451 is coming out soon. In my opinion, sales of the book and the movie by Bradbury will be increased sharply because of the media attention to Fahrenheit 9/11. The two Fahrenheits coming to theaters could be a one-two punch to the Bush administration that could lead to Kerry's victory in November.
Another objection to Moore's title is the "9/11". This makes a negative symbol out of a date, and so would be objectionable to anyone associated with the date, September 11, especially those who have that date as their birthday. That is why I now choose to call those horrible attacks in 2001 Planeattack instead of 9/11 or September 11. However, in a movie title like this, I think it works out fine. Movies are an art form, and so patterns are more important than fact or actual representation. So I don't object either to the "Fahrenheit" or the "9/11" parts of the title.
However, Mr. Bradbury wants a new title. If push comes to shove, I have a new title. 9/11 84. I sent this email to Michael Moore's news team today. I hope they go with the original title, but if he can't, I hope he considers 9/11 84. Here is my letter:
Dear Michael Moore and friends on the news staff,
I heard today that Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451", from which your film "Fahrenheit 9/11" gets its name, wants you to apologize for using an adaptation of the name of his book and for you to rename the movie to something else. I am not sure why he is doing this, because the themes of both are similar: a government that suppresses freedom of some sort, be it books or otherwise. It seems to me that the attention that "Fahrenheit 9/11" gets will boost sales of "Fahrenheit 451"; at least, it brings attention to "Fahrenheit 451".
Nevertheless, if you have to change the name, here is my suggestion: "9/11 84", or perhaps "9/11/84". This relates the movie to George Orwell's book, with its doubletalk, lying as truth (as in "Freedom is Slavery"), and the omnipresence of Big Brother. It is also in the same tone, sounds sort of like "1984" (nineteen eighty-four vs nine eleven eighty-four), and is catchy and short. And a request to rename it might be much less likely, since George Orwell died in 1949.
Jim
